U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,917,269, 5,207,356 and 5,941,422 disclose product containment and dispensing packages, particularly liquid product containment and dispensing packages, that include a container surrounding a fill/dispensing opening, and a closure threadably received on the container finish closing the package. In the manufacture and filling of packages of this type, the containers and closures are typically shipped separately to the product packager, perhaps by different suppliers. The containers are filled with product by the packager in an automated or manual filling operation, and the closures are then applied to the container, again either automatically or manually, to complete the package. Alternatively, the closures may be applied to the containers when the containers and closures are supplied to the packager. This alternative reduces inventory at the packager, but requires the extra step of removing the closure prior to filling the container, followed by reapplication of the closure after filling.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a container and closure package, and a method of filling such a package, that reduce costs associated with handling and filling of the containers at the packaging facility by providing a container and closure package that can be filled and closed at increased speed, using less equipment and less labor. Another object of the invention is to provide a container and closure package that can be filled while reducing or eliminating leakage of product around the container finish and finish thread area. A further object of the invention is to provide a container and closure package that accommodates addition of promotional information or the like on the container package without requiring retooling of the container or closure. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of filling a container and closure package that achieves one or more of the objectives set forth immediately above.
A container and closure package in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a container having a body with a finish surrounding a fill/dispensing opening, and a thread or bead on the finish for removably securing a closure. A closure has a peripheral skirt with a thread or bead for removably securing the closure to the container finish, and a base wall with a fill opening aligned with the fill/dispensing opening in the container when the closure is secured to the container. A cap is secured to the closure base wall closing the fill opening. In accordance with the preferred method for filling the package, the container and closure are provided to the packager as an assembled unit. The container is filled with product through the fill opening in the closure and the fill/dispensing opening in the container. The cap is then secured to the closure base wall over the fill opening to close and seal the package.
In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the closure base wall has a recessed shoulder surrounding the fill opening in the closure, and the cap comprises a disk secured to the base wall against the recessed shoulder. The base wall of the closure preferably is flat, and the outer surface of the disk is preferably flush with the outer surface of the base wall. The underside of the disk may be metalized to facilitate induction or conduction welding the disk to the closure base wall, or the disk may be non-removably adhered to the closure base wall by other means. The disk may contain advertising or promotional information visible to a user. This advertising or promotional information may be readily changed by merely retooling manufacture of the disk, while the basic structure of the closure and container remain the same.
In the disclosed embodiments of the invention, the container preferably comprises a drainback-type container that includes a pour spout extending from the fill/dispensing opening of the container. This pour spout may be formed either integrally with the container body, or as part of a separate filament secured to the container body at the fill/dispensing opening. A thread on the container finish for securing the closure may be formed either integrally with the container body, or on a separate fitment secured to the finish of the container body.